One and the Same
by kidscanfly
Summary: A different take on the last episode. Asura doesn't seem to understand her courage at all. Asura/Maka. Sorta.


**An Asura/Maka fic about a different take on what coulda been a better ending (though this is probably NOT that better ending). This pairing is extremely hard to work with. But I made some things work (kinda). Sorry if there's mistakes or if it just doesn't flow right.**

He wanted to break her so badly. To create some sort of fear within her. To destroy this so called "courage" that she held deep within her. Maybe he could wretch it out with his bony, pale hands. Maybe he'd steal her away and eat her later; perhaps "courage" added an extra flavor to her soul.

Asura didn't understand this one at all.

This short, unattractive flip of a girl who couldn't fight properly was to be his demise? No. She wouldn't be able to. He felt fairly sure.

She launched herself at him again, but he grabbed her by the wrist and slammed her into the ground at his feet, effectively breaking her arm and maybe more. Her blood pooled from her teeth as she struggled to get up off the rocky ground, but he pinned her there, face down, and promptly sat on her, keeping her broken arm restrained. Any movement and she'd feel the ache and throb.

"What can your precious 'courage' do for you here?" he taunted her, pulled her pigtail up so she'd face him. She grimaced and glared at him. Then, in her naturally raspy voice, she said, "You're so pitiful,"

He slammed her head down into the rock again, making her screech for a brief second. More blood seemed to flow out from her nose. Hopefully he'd broken that too. "How am I pitiful when you're the one with blood all over your face," he said mockingly, pulling her hair up again. With a bow of his head he licked a healthy river of blood off her face, and almost chuckled at her disgusted expression. She didn't seem to dare wiggle and appendages, lest she damage her arm further.

"It's so much easier to be swallowed by your fears and give into the madness than to fight it with 'courage', don't you think?" He pressed into her broken arm, and she made a lovely pained face. "I can sense the black blood within you, wanting to be released and used. You might even stand a chance that way." She seemed to sag under his words; Asura bent his head low to her ear, eyeing her fallen comrades, whom were all struggling to stay conscious and watch the spectacle before them. He chuckled freely into her ear, making her shiver beneath him. "It's inevitable,"

"I refuse!" she shouted as she turned her head to face him, and he could see how her nose was bent at an odd angle, "I refuse to succumb to it! I refuse!" She made a quick move of her foot, successfully knocking him off her. The kishin landed a ways off, perfectly on his feet. He scowled at her as she made herself stand, gripping her broken arm carefully. She'd caught him off guard.

"Courage is just like the madness," the pigtailed girl said strongly, her feet spreading apart into a fighting stance, "The only difference is the willingness to fight off the fear! It's no different otherwise!" Her eyes blazed a jade green. "Your madness is your cowardice. My courage will help me stand strong."

He tilted his head in a mock gesture, licking his dried lips. He could feel her fury and defiance like a heat wave radiating from her very soul. It shone so bright and unfathomably large that the kishin could feel the fear bubbling up inside of him. He feared whatever power this "courage" was giving her. Yet at the same time…

He made a step forward. She did not stand down. He took another step, and another, and soon he was standing mere inches from her. She scowled up at him; he frowned down at her. In a blink of her eye he'd grabbed her wrists, shaking them slightly in his fervor. He planted his forehead against hers, and looked her dead in the eyes. She seemed frozen, more out of expectancy than fright. Her eyes were like tiny mirrors, revealing the hideousness that enshrouded him. "Show me," he said darkly, "Show me how strong your 'courage' is. How much it can take…" His nose brushed hers ever so slightly as he brought down his mouth, but stopped at barely touching. Her eyes were wide, confusion evident in her features. She was undoubtedly unsure of his actions and intentions. He himself was unsure of what he was doing. He so badly wanted a taste of courage, but knew in the most painful way that he was unable to feel it. He was madness. And she was so very much "courage".

"Show me your 'courage' here, girl," Ashura barked, making it sound like some sort of demand. She _almost_ jumped at his voice. She was thinking. They stood that way for a good few minutes, before her mouth twitched for a second. Her hands still in his grip, he wondered if she was willing to make that first move. All she had to do was tilt her head up just a centimeter and these two forbidden, opposite world would collide. Oh, how the collision would be cosmic, like stars exploding into supernovas! His insides seemed to vibrate with anxiety and expectation. He stared into her eyes, daring her to come closer. To taste the madness and let him sample what he'd never have. But she did not tilt her head up. And he knew in this act should would fear him, and if she was _not_ to oblige him, then that meant she would obviously pull away.

But she did not.

She did not pull away, but stood frozen, eyes intense and meaningful somehow. His eyes widened as realization hit him like a slap to the face that she had already won. She had already proven she had the courage to not pull away from a creature such as him; she could face and come to terms with him _without ever joining_ him. She had the courage to say"no". They were both so resolute in their dealings with fear, yet one could never truly understand the workings of the other. Or maybe _she_ could. But he most certainly could not. It was an unexpected loophole in the cosmos it seemed.

He let go of her hands. She remained still as he backed up, eyeing her warily. If something like her could best him, something so impudent and incredibly insignificant and small, then what good was it all? What good was it to rule something you couldn't even comprehend? He stepped back a few more steps, before coming to a halt. They were now a good ways apart from each other. He felt a bit more relaxed and safer this way. Much more comfortable and 'him'. She too seemed to feel more settled without him so close. He chuckled darkly as she wiped at her face where he'd made contact, her nose scrunched as if she thought she were tainted.

"'Courage' you say?" Asura said calmly, "Match your 'courage' with the madness within me, girl. Let us see where true strength crawls from." It seemed it was all she needed to hear. He could see her winding her arm back. She was coming at him fast. Her eyes shone bright, her resolution stronger than maybe even his. Her intensity matched his so well it was... frightening. He could feel the fear bubble up inside of him. The madness at his core roared. This 'courage' she possessed; it must be some weapon against madness he had not foreseen. Some backup program within souls that let you become what she had. Could anyone bring out this ferocity the way she did? Could the madness everywhere be caged by the 'courage' of people's hearts? She was so close. It was almost like slow motion. The fist was inching nearer and nearer.

"They counter each other so perfectly," he whispered, "Yet they are exactly the same: a reaction to fear-"

The collision was just like a supernova, he'd known it would be. He was sure she could feel the pasty skin under her knuckles cave in.

"Shut up," she whispered. She was already beginning to salivate over her victory They both knew it was over. He smirked, regardless of the fact he was about to be airborne.

"You and me, girl, are exactly the same," was the last words she heard from him.


End file.
